The Heart of Gold
by faustianCufflinks
Summary: As Shadow is away doing a mission, Rouge the bat contemplates her life. Jewels, treasure and Shadow. Just which one of these are the most important?


~ The Heart of Gold ~

The afternoon sun hung lazily in the blue sky, the white fluffy clouds floating appealingly in the sky. Birds of diverse species flew in the humid but tolerable air, some were twittering, while others were cawing. In the quiet district of Central City that was Babylon Night, the silent building of Club Rouge sat. The nocturnal city had shut down the usually bright and flashing neon-lights and outdoor decorations, making the club look dull and unattractive. Inside the quiet and somber building, sat the ivory huntress, Rouge the bat.

Rouge sat down on a high stool, the leather cushion worn, but still a somewhat attractive crimson in color. The bored thief sat idly and casually at the closed bar, listening to the quiet, mainstream music as it issued out of the worn speakers placed erratically around the club's ceiling. Rouge smiled gently, enjoying the change of music from the usual, heavy metal and silly pop songs about sex and partying, to an 'oldies' song about love. The white bat's aquamarine eyes slid over to a small bottle, its distinctive cap a vivid and attention-grabbing red, while the bottle itself was a murky and grubby black in color, years of dust coating the possibly once clean surface.

The color choice reminded the white thief about a certain nonchalant and anti-social hedgehog, with irises the color of scarlet flames. Another small smile formed on the glossy pink lips of Rouge, as her thoughts retreated from music, to her life. The beautiful huntress could only think of her many adventures revolving around treasure hunting, bright and vibrant pictures of her favorite gems and the Chaos Emeralds flashing in her mind. Chaos emeralds brought upon the thought of the Master Emerald, which made Rouge's heart thump with anticipation and desire. The colossal jewel was the color of well kept and grassy fields, its shine surpassing the quantities of sparkle a mountain of diamonds possessed. Only one thing stood in here way, a determined and irritable crimson echidna.

Knuckles the echidna, to be exact.

A mixture of diverse emotions exploded in both Rouge's mind and chest, ranging from extreme rivalry to small infatuation. Yes, that Knuckles was handsome in a muscular, silent but violent sort of way, but boy, did he make Rouge angry. His determination to keep the Master Emerald safe irritated and infuriated the white thief, further increasing her desire for the massive emerald even more. The way he'd place his large, gloved fists on his hips, the anger and exasperation in his violet eyes, the angry red tinge on his cheeks as he'd yell at Rouge to keep away, angered Rouge to no end. The white huntress detested love/hate relationships with a vengeance, for it seemed to her to be too cliché and boring for the unpredictable and beautiful thief.

Thinking about the huge green emerald made Rouge suddenly think of its smaller counterpart, which seemed to always be in the hands of a crimson and ebony hedgehog.

That hedgehog would be the notorious and harsh Shadow the hedgehog,

Now, feelings of embarrassment and warmth started to blossom pleasantly in Rouge's chest. Shadow was her most trusted and beloved ally, their friendship simple yet strong. Yes, Shadow could be secretive and an infuriating lone-wolf at the most, but underneath that harsh and strangely attractive exterior, laid a misunderstood individual. When she had first set her eyes on the ebony hedgehog in the flesh, he had seemed dangerous, frightening and powerful, a threat. G.U.N had told her that Shadow was a dangerous weapon, and nothing more. How wrong they were, Rouge thought, as she stirred her cocktail absentmindedly. Shadow had proved to both himself and everyone that he was much, much more that a mindless weapon when he had assisted Sonic in destroying the Final-hazard and saving earth.

And then he had fallen.

Rouge's memories were still so clear and vivid, that she remembered unmistakably as Shadow's fur slowly discolored from a brilliant gold, to his usual black coat, and how the crimson streaked hero had fallen calmly and indolently from the vast blackness of space, back to the blue planet that was the ivory thief's home. She remembered his eyes so clearly, so beautiful, so bottomless yet so…strange.

Rouge didn't know how to label the odd emotion she felt when she looked into the ultimate lifeform's crimson irises, so Rouge labeled it strange. It was almost similar to the feelings she obtained when the ivory huntress gazed at a jewel, the feelings of longing, adoration and desire. How did she know she was in love with Shadow, or was just using him as an escape from her unrequited feelings towards Knuckles?

_Because_, a voice in Rouge's head remarked,_ the feelings you possess for Shadow is a lot stronger than your feelings for the red knucklehead._

The realization hit Rouge like a sack of bricks, her aqua orbs widening as the white huntress realized that she was unmistakably in love with Shadow the hedgehog. But how? Shadow only loved her in a sisterly way, their relationship strictly closed off in the boundaries of _only _being good allies. A feeling of utter sorrow filled the chest of the saddened bat, her ears drooping sadly and her face dropping, her lips down turned into a look of hopelessness. Shadow the hedgehog did not love her, and if he did, then how could Rouge ever return it without her love of jewels dragging her away from the ebony lifeform?

Rouge pictured herself, the luminescent Master Emerald on her right, while Shadow stood nonchalantly, his stance unnaturally still and stiff. The white thief saw the Master Emerald rapidly start to move away from her, but as she attempted to pursue it, the edge of her peripheral revealed Shadow fading away. The Master Emerald became further and further away, while Shadow continued to grow fainter, his solidity already gone, causing Rouge to hesitate. Shadow or jewels? Shadow or jewels? Shadow or jewels?

The white thief had to scream slightly in desperation and confusion as memories and images of Shadow started to flash in her head. Their star lit conversation aboard the ARK, Shadow rescuing her as the bomb went off, their eyes meeting as Rouge found Shadow once more, his body stored away in one of Eggman's many abandoned bases, the ebony hedgehog's eyes as Rouge told Shadow she'd always remain on his side, and then a cherished memory of Shadow's rare but brilliant smiles. Rouge grasped the sides of her head, turning around hastily towards Shadow and staring into his magnificent and crimson-lit eyes. The ivory thief wanted them to be the treasure she woke up to every morning, so, so badly.

Rouge abruptly decided. She chose Shadow.

Rouge snapped out of her thoughts, looking around the large dance floor as she heard the front door close loudly. The ivory thief sucked in her breath worriedly, _this is it… _Shadow had returned from his small mission for G.U.N., as the ultimate lifeform had told the ivory huntress. Rouge had decided the moment she chose Shadow, that she would tell him her feelings. It seemed effortless and straightforward, but to Rouge, it felt like there were huge weights on her shoulders, refusing to budge until Rouge told her beloved crimson and obsidian companion how much she loved him.

"Rouge? Are you here?" The fair bat recognized the deep and raspy voice that belonged to Shadow, making her shut her eyes, inhale in an attempt to calm herself, then opened her eyes.

"Yes, Shady. I'm over in the bar!" Rouge called back, her usual sultry and rich voice now quiet and nervous. Rouge wanted to shrink back as the tall and foreboding form that was Shadow entered the room, his shoes the only noise besides the ordinary music playing in the background. Rouge's gentle blue eyes met with Shadow's fiery red, momentarily striking them silent and speechless. A small blush creeped onto both ebony and ivory, further rendering Rouge's embarrassment and reluctance to inform Shadow her true feelings.

The ultimate lifeform cleared his throat, walking towards his female companion. Rouge suddenly noticed one hand remain behind Shadow's back, while the other kept clenching and unclenching, unsteady and nervous, it seemed. "Rouge, I know we're very close, but I currently am realizing that I feel…more than just close." Shadow mumbled, the ultimate lifeform's face reddening. This sentence made Rouge gasp slightly, a blush also forming on her cheeks. Shadow seemed to have heard the gasp, for he suddenly seemed more nervous.

"What I'm saying is that I love…you." Shadow drew back his hand that was behind his back, revealing to Rouge he was holding a single flower in his gloved hand. The flower was a simple sunflower, but to Rouge, it looked like the most beautiful flower she had ever laid her eyes upon. The ebony hedgehog seemed embarrassed by the bright yellow sunflower, but disbelief and gratitude appeared on Shadow's crimson eyes as Rouge took it. "I know it isn't much, but it was the only flower I could find while I was taking a walk."

"Shadow?" Rouge interrupted Shadow's incoherent mumbling, making him lift his head. "I think it's more beautiful than the Master Emerald now that I know you love me." Rouge hated the comment, since it was cliché and cheesy, but drew the thought back as Shadow smiled. The ebony and crimson hedgehog moved closer to Rouge, while she stepped towards him gently.

"I love you, Shadow, the ultimate lifeform."

A small smile followed the comment, but the lips were then placed upon glossy pink lips.

- The End -

AN: Aww, isn't that sweet? Ugh, cliché though. :/


End file.
